Jasun and Mandy McAvoy, AKA Mineralman999 have been recently showing off this fine and historic gem topaz crystal.
The crystal itself is a well terminated gem specimen from Murzinka, Ekaterinburg, Middle Urals, Russia and at 3.1cm x 2.7cm x 2.5cm it is not a bad size.
What is most impressive is the provenance trail to the specimen spanning back 140 years to the days of F H Butler's recent acquisition of poor Richard Talling's business in 1884.
(Richard Talling had committed suicide in 1883)
With Jasun and Mandy's permission we have reproduced the labels below in chronological order. It is a shame that there is nothing to place the specimen through its voyage from the UK to the US.
Two of the labels belong to Emory Mitchell Gunnell - dealer/collector between 1944 & 1976. Gunnell specialised in varieties of single crystals; this specimen is a classic!
